Melty Bead Bowls, The Conclusion

As I mentioned, my first melted bead bowl attempt was a bit of trial and error so here I am, continuing the saga. When the first bowl started to fall apart and separate, I jacked the heat and tossed it back in the oven, only to forget about it. For quite some time. Ooops! I suspect the beads were never suppose to become quite that hot and probably leached carcinogens into my oven, kitchen and habitat. But on the upside, they really and truly melted!

Which would explain why this bowl HOLDS WATER. Yes folks, I made a bead bowl that is so melded together that it will reliably hold liquid. I suspect this is not normal for such melty bead crafts. A few of the beads are slightly dimpled and give a hint of the fact that the colored dot was, once upon a time, a bead with a hole and not some other amorphous thing.

My kids were intrigued by the whole process, so we decided to make some more. I used the same glass bowl as the first time and made two more, taller, versions and I used a Pyrex bowl for yet another, fourth, version. The Pyrex one melted the best and most uniformly which could be because it is actually oven proof glass that heats more evenly. Or it could be because of the shape which has straight, not slanted, sides. All three of the bowls were baked at 400°F until they looked slick and slightly gooey which was about 20 mins. I took them out of the oven and immediately used a ladle, sprayed with cooking spray, to gently mush down the beads. They did not fuse into a solid substance like the first bowl, but they didn't fall apart either. Once cooled they have held together. And they look like melted beads. The big burning question now ...

WHAT IN THE HELL ARE WE GONNA DO WITH FOUR MELTY BEAD BOWLS?

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I could use them as yarn holders I suppose. But instead I have plans to ditch give away three of the bowls. And the last one? It has been assimilated into the kid kitchen. I suspect that in a few days I won't ever see again. If that is the case, well, I will just have to make more!